Digimon: Next Generation
by Nicky Fletcher
Summary: 2032. A new group of tamers are called upon to battle the threat of a digimon who's power exceeds all boundaries. And at the centre of the growing threat is Isaac Vale, a boy who has dark ties to both the digital world and the real world.
1. A Samurai's Journey Is Endless

**The obligatory disclaimer that nobody reads or cares about. I do not own digimon. I only own any original characters I create and any original digimon that I create. But, ultimately they would all span from the original digimon concept that again, I DO NOT OWN.**

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**CHAPTER ONE  
**A Samurai's Journey Is Endless

* * *

_"I have long since lost who I am. My life, my world, my family... I barely remember any of them. It is becoming a task in itself, simply to know my own name."_

Isaac Vale drifted through his thoughts as he wandered through the forest. They were all too familiar to him; in fact, they were forced on him by his own doing. It had become a routine of his, to remind him of who he was and where he came from. The task though, had become more difficult with each passing day.

Isaac took in his surroundings as he went on. Before the forest, there had been endless stretches of hills that, with the assistant of a low sweeping breeze, created the illusion that they were actually swaying. Upon entering the forest, Isaac had become flanked on all sides by armies of towering trees that stretched high to the heavens, yet still managed to hang low to the ground with their reaching twig-like fingers. The sun was high to, baking the world below like a hot potato. Since passing the hills, not even the slightest of breezes dared to challenge the heat. One could say that the sun or maybe the forest forbids such a challenging action.

Still, Isaac pushed on, wearing nothing more than dirty cotton bottoms, a baggy white shirt and cowl, and a pair of old sandals that had evidently seen many miles of travel. Isaac wrapped a hand around a makeshift staff, which currently was being used as a walking stick, although it clearly had the appearance of a weapon of sorts. It was Isaac's most cherished possession, serving him well through the years. He had crafted it from a tree branch, almost six years ago, and still it stood as strong as ever.

The desert heat burned him, and as he wiped a hand across his soaked brow he could feel the warmth the sun had left on his moist skin. The temperature was also doing well to hinder his movements, draining the energy from him and slowing his pace until he was barely walking. Isaac felt like collapsing right there, just giving up for the day and resting on the dirt path, or maybe up against a tree. At this point in time, he didn't care.

He couldn't though, if anything, it would only serve as a way of worrying his friend, Kotemon. The little samurai digimon was the only thing keeping Isaac sane. He was mostly silent though, at least lately. He used to be a chatty sort; an oddity considering the family he came from. But, the passing months had seen Isaac become more preoccupied with his thoughts, and as a result he had grown distant. Now the two rarely exchanged words. Kotemon really only became extra vocal when he wanted to let Isaac know he was hungry, or tired, or that danger approached.

Still, a quiet friend was better than no friend was.

The two had spent the better part of the past four days walking, which could probably explain why Isaac felt so worn out. They stopped only for food and water, and at night they would rest. There was no purpose to their long distance travelling, no destination to get to. Isaac was searching for something that wasn't listed on any map as a location, and Kotemon was just bound by his friendship and loyalty to follow. It was really nothing more than a way of occupying their time. Isaac had spent every year of his life, since he was seven years old, living in the Digital World. He could navigate the lands as good as the next digimon. So, there was no chance of getting lost.

The Digital World was his home, but a part of him longed to return to his real family, a family he had not seen now for almost ten years.

Currently, he was left alone with his thoughts. He was able to drift across blurred images of his parents and his sister. It had been that long since he had seen them, that he was afraid to ever find them again for fear of not recognising them. Any conversation at this point would be welcome, because the pain that came with being alone was growing to become too much to bear.

Kotemon had taken off though, scouting the area ahead like he always did. He was trained in stealth, so even in the day his diminutive shadowy frame could go unnoticed in the most open of spaces. If anything, he was efficient and especially driven to keep Isaac safe. He donned heavy gear at all times, always ready for battle, but despite that the heat did nothing to halt his enthusiastic pace. As Isaac crested the next bank – one that felt like a steep mountain, but in reality was not even steep enough to qualify as a small hill – he noticed Kotemon bounding through the treetops towards him.

He must have confirmed to his own satisfaction that the area was safe, because he made no effort to disguise his approach. The small digimon moved like a shadowy ball, maintaining a relatively blurry speed. As he leapt from branch to branch with a faint hint of a skip in his step, his bright yellow eyes pulsated behind his protective mask, the only light to pierce through the darkness. He dropped from a low hanging branch as Isaac passed beneath him, landing on Isaac's head with a touch of grace.

"Find anything interesting up ahead?" Isaac asked, glancing up at Kotemon and flashing a weak smile.

"Yes indeed. The Leaf Ninja Village is not far from here," Kotemon explained with a hint of excitement. Perhaps he was tired after all, or knowing his appetite, he was probably just hungry. "We should be there in about twenty minutes, if we keep moving at the snail's pace you're setting."

"I'm sorry, buddy," Isaac apologised. "The heat is just a little intense today. I'll try and be quicker."

"It's no matter, I can wait."

"Are you sure," Isaac asked, "I mean, if you want you can go on ahead and wait for me there."

"No, no. I'll stay with you," Kotemon insisted as he hopped off Isaac's head.

"Thanks, buddy."

And so the pair pushed on. In the quiet, Isaac could hear Kotemon's stomach rumbling. He was clearly eager to fill his face with whatever delicacies the village had to offer. The closer they got to where the village was located, the more familiar the sights became. Isaac had visited the Leaf Ninja Village on four separate occasions growing up. Having been raised in the Red Azura Village, he had been surrounded by characters the likes of those that would dwell in such secretive locales. It had been a few years since his last trip there, but Isaac hoped that he would be welcomed as warmly as he had been on past visits.

The trees grew taller near the centre of the forest, and they huddled together like small armies. The bushes grew thicker to, concealing the ground with a carpet of vine tendrils stretching out for an eternity. The sun began to lose its grip, as an everlasting shade was cast over the world surrounding Isaac by the legion of flourishing trees as their clustered leaves intermingled above.

It made it difficult to navigate, if one hadn't already been shown the way. The entrance to the village itself was hidden to the untrained eye. Two trees stood side by side like soldiers on guard, a space of about six feet between them. From a stranger's perspective, it looked like nothing more than further forest life, but to those few who had seen the village, it was a makeshift gateway covered in foliage. And when pushed apart, it revealed the inner design of a stretch of camouflaged tree huts constructed from bark-wood and straw.

It wasn't the most elegantly designed village, but every aspect had a purpose to serve. The trees, blocking out the sky, protected the village from any aerial eyes that tried to sneak a peak. The huts were camouflaged strictly to remain hidden in plain sight. The village grounds were patrolled by several digimon, all identical in appearance, but separated by personality. They were the Ninjamon; the protectors of the village. They were the tireless foot soldiers whose presence was a visible deterrent, to ensure the safety of those that had chosen the secret village as a place to make their home.

They were less intimidating than most digimon, appearing as large heads with arms and feet. One could never be entirely certain on whether or not they possessed actual bodies. They each wore a crimson mask over their eyes that topped itself with a small tuft that made it resemble a gnome's hat. Still, the steely demeanour accompanied by the sharp and deadly ninja swords they carried on their backs was enough to instil an air of caution when approaching them.

They were quick to. The moment Isaac stepped into the village, he felt the cold steel of a blade as its tip grazed his throat. He glanced down, daring not to move. The small Ninjamon came up to Isaac's waist, just barely. A shadow was cast over his face, but Isaac could see the gritted teeth and look of hard determination present on his features.

"What business do you have here, human?" Ninjamon barked. There was a clear hint of distaste in his voice when he spoke the word '_human_'.

"We don't mean you any harm," Isaac assured the tense digimon. "We were just hoping that you would grant us a place to rest for the night. We have been travelling for many hours."

"We, of the Leaf Ninja Village, do not grant sanctuary to humans," Ninjamon stated, firmly. "Your kind are a plague on our world. Popping back and forth like this was a vacation spot."

"I always thought that the Leaf Ninja had a very liberal policy on welcoming outsiders," Kotemon said, interjecting himself into the conversation. "Many times in the past has this village granted us a place to stay."

The Ninjamon, who had quite clearly established himself as the leader and speaker of the village, relaxed a touch. He stepped back, still cautious, and slowly withdrew his sword and slid it back into the sheath on his back.

"Interesting," he said, with a pondering thought. "You have been here before."

"Yes, we have," Isaac replied.

"A human and a digimon." Ninjamon pondered further. "Why then, you must be Isaac Vale from the Red Azura Village." There now seemed to be a presence of excitement in Ninjamon's voice.

Isaac forced a smile, although he still felt slightly uneasy. "Yeah. That's me, I guess."

"Well then, of course you may rest here," Ninjamon said with a smile, ushering Isaac into the village. "Tell me, will Azuramon be joining you?"

"Ummm, no. He is still working to repair the village." There was a strong sense of guilt in Isaac's voice. "The final battle with ShadowSamuraimon… it left the village in ruin."

"And you left?" Ninjamon inquired, judgementally.

"I vowed not to return until I was reunited with Kotemon," Isaac explained. "But, when I found him… I don't know… I felt as if I could not go back. At least not yet. I was responsible for the attack on the Red Azura Village, and until I redeem myself… I cannot return there."

"Ah, yes. Words spoken like a true samurai." Ninjamon spoke, proudly. "You have been raised well, but I must warn you… even should you find this redemption you seek, it will not change how you feel inside. You will always believe that you need to do more, to accomplish more. But, that is what it means to be a true warrior."

"Right, a samurai's journey is endless." Isaac recited. It was the words Azuramon had spoken to him when Isaac was merely a child. Even now, they stayed with him as most other memories continued to fade.

"Indeed, it is," Ninjamon agreed. "But, such talk is not necessary. I am sure you will find your path. Until then, we shall eat."

It was amazing how often digimon ate, almost as if they had bottomless pits for stomachs. Their appetites just never seemed to be completely attended to. Fortunately, Isaac was more than willing to take the time out to answer the hunger growing inside him.

The head Ninjamon showed Isaac and Kotemon to a small, empty hut. It was only marginally big enough to fit Isaac's large size, but it would make a welcome change from sleeping out in the open like he and Kotemon had been doing for so long. There was a bed crafted from several pieces of wood and layered with straw, not the most comfortable of choices, but adequate once you got used to the irritating pokes from any stray strands.

Then, the rest of the day proved to be moderately eventful, but in a good way. The Ninjamon were extremely welcoming, in fact, their generosity and eagerness to please Isaac left him with a sense of strange concern. He couldn't recall them being so friendly towards humans, out of all the digimon they were on the side that were strongly against the presence of humans in the Digital World. Of course, his past visits had been welcomed with open arms, but Isaac secretly knew that they only tolerated him because of where he came from and the company he kept.

There was a feast late into the afternoon. Isaac ate his fill and spent the rest of the meal watching in amazement as the Ninjamon, and Kotemon especially, wolfed down a variety of the foods that had been prepared. Some of the younger Ninjamon gathered at Isaac's seat, hoping to be riveted by some of his tales of adventure with the great and powerful Azuramon. The village seemed to worship the great samurai digimon as if he were of royal descent, or a deity of some kind. Isaac did his best to bring some life to what tales he could tell, but truth be told, talking about Azuramon only brought him pain.

Still, if it kept them peaceable towards him, Isaac would do his best to keep up their spirits.

Fortunately, the night approached quickly and soon enough Isaac was fast asleep, and dreaming.

* * *

__

"You can not defeat me, you pitiful insect."

The powerful voice boomed with authority as ShadowSamuraimon strode across the battlefield, looking to finish off his opponent. His four arms gripped a set of impressive dark blades that donned skulls at the centre of their hilts. His jagged black armour crunched and grated with his every movement. The sky had grown dark, no doubt a reflection of the digimon warriors evil intentions. Still, the sun managed to maintain a presence, and as its dim rays bounced off the steel surface of ShadowSamuraimon's swords, they created brilliant flecks of silver that cut through the dull air.

He didn't move with any kind of speed, if anything, every step he took was drawn out like he was purposely walking in a form of slow motion. His black heart knew no remorse, no forgiveness, and he would wade in his opponent's inevitable defeat for as long as he possibly could.

CrystalAzuramon struggled to get to his feet. He lay battered and broken on the opposite side of the battlefield, his once sparkling, majestic crimson armour had now been scorched and cracked by his enemy's relentless attacks. The noble digimon had fought with valour and honour, but as Isaac stared at him from afar, he couldn't help but feel that his friend, his mentor, was only prolonging his downfall.

Azuramon had been the only type of father figure Isaac could remember. He had raised him, trained him, and taught him right from wrong. So, it pained him to see him in such a fallen state, like a knife cutting violently through his sides. He had not been strong enough to battle ShadowSamuraimon in his standard form, but Kotemon, in his ultimate form of Kyukimon had willingly given himself to the fight. They had fused together to become the legendary CrystalAzuramon, but even in such a formidable form, ShadowSamuraimon had dominated the battle.

Now, Isaac was faced with the possibility of losing two that were extremely close to him.

"Noooo! CrystalAzuramon, get up!" Isaac pleaded with every ounce of volume he could muster.

"Silence child!" ShadowSamuraimon snapped. "And watch as I destroy your friend." He flashed a sadistic grin Isaac's way, and it sent a cold shiver down his spine.

****

"SHADOW OF THE RONIN!"

ShadowSamuraimon roared to the heavens as he punched his arms out firmly, positioning himself in a towering pose. His stature reminded Isaac of the old Greek statues he had seen as a child, in books. Odd, how such small and insignificant memories still managed to stay with him. The gargantuan black warrior was massive and intimidating; the added shroud of darkness that enveloped his frame only sought to further emphasise his dark presence. He remained still, if only for a moment and then several clones of himself separated from his body.

They shifted to the sides, one after another, until they formed a complete line, each one mimicking the digimon's original pose. Six shadow versions of himself flanked the evil digimon, each one as imposing as the next. Behind his black visage, ShadowSamuraimon smiled and his chest expanded with heavy pride as he took in a breath.

Then, in a flash they each shot forwards and disappeared with a flicker, like a light bulb that was struggling on its last vestige of energy. Isaac immediately shot a look at CrystalAzuramon as he finally succeeded in pushing himself into an upright stance. He was weak though and unable to muster any kind of defence.

The first clone flashed in front of him, sliding across the burnt ground in a low crouch and cutting across CrystalAzuramon's waist with a swift and effective slice. Then another appeared, before the crimson samurai could steady himself. It dropped from the sky like a swooping eagle, cutting down across CrystalAzuramon's wounded body with a single flash of steel. He stumbled back as each blow struck him. The second was followed by a third, and then a fourth. By the sixth attack, CrystalAzuramon was barely holding himself up. He stabbed the point of his transparent, crystal katana into the ground and used it as a means to keep him steady and on his feet.

ShadowSamuraimon swept in, the seventh and final assailant. He glided across the ground like a ghost, before exploding into an impressive leap. The sun seemed to cast a bright backdrop, making him look more of a shadow than a digimon. His four blades came down, with force and venom. They cut through the air softly, leaving a whispering trail of wind behind them.

All Isaac could do was watch, his pleading cries drowned out by the reverberating echoes of ShadowSamuraimon's battle cry.

* * *

"Nooooooo!"

Isaac sat bolt upright on the straw-filled bed he had been given to rest on. His face was drowning in a cold sweat, despite the cool night breeze that now swept around him. There was a knot in his stomach, a sickening feeling as a result of his dream, and he struggled to fight the urge to vomit. It wasn't the first time he had dreamt of that destructive battle. Ever since he had lived it, it had plagued his slumber on frequent occasions.

He assured himself that it was just a dream, that he was not reliving the nightmare again.

As he glanced around, Isaac noticed first and foremost that Kotemon was nowhere to be seen. It didn't trouble Isaac at all, in the safety of the Leaf Ninja Village; there were no existing threats. Kotemon was most likely raiding the food supplies, getting his fill and stashing some supplies away for when he and Isaac left in the morning. But, there was a rustling coming from outside. Something or someone was moving in the bushes. Of course, this would be a natural occurrence within any village, but something tugged at Isaac's cautious instincts and suggested that the rustling was more threatening than one would first imagine.

Isaac leaned to his side as he slowly edged himself out of bed. He wrapped a tight hand around his staff and crept across the floor to the hut entrance. He peered out through the doorway opening, but the village was empty. There should have been several Ninjamon at least, but not a single patrol passed by Isaac's wandering gaze. He began to feel tense, on edge; something didn't feel right. As he listened he could hear noise coming from the far side of the village; it was a distant chatter, as if there was some kind of meeting taking place.

The question that now entered into his mind was "_what could they be meeting about at such a late hour?_"

Then, the rustling hit Isaac's ears again.

It came from his left, and instantly his combat instincts kicked in. He shifted his feet as he crept out through the door and turned swiftly with his staff at the ready. Kotemon burst out the bushes, and Isaac had to use his past training to redirect his staff before it clobbered the little digimon clean on the middle of his head. His yellow eyes were glowing brightly, yet they had darkened. Isaac detected a hint of concern about his digimon partner, but he first thought that it was down to Isaac almost knocking him unconscious.

"Sorry, little buddy," Isaac said with a soft smile. "I didn't know it was you."

Kotemon was silent for a second.

"Kotemon, what is it?"

"Trouble," Kotemon said in a whisper. "We need to leave… right now!"


	2. A Storm Is Brewing

**Authors Note: I just thought I would point out now, something you may come to realise on your own. Another, probably my favourite anime/manga show is Dragonball Z. So, you may start to discover that this Digimon story moves along at a similar pace. There is an overlaying storyline, but it is going to very fight oriented. And because I enjoy how Dragonball Z would make their battles long and intense.. you may see that a lot of my fights are drawn out, especially the larger more important ones. Oh and, please review!**

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**CHAPTER TWO  
**A Storm Is Brewing

* * *

Abigail was woken by a low creaking as her bedroom door crept open. She stirred annoyingly in her bed before deciding to peer over the covers to see who or what had disturbed her treasured slumber. Her father was stood there, leaning against the door with a smile on his face. He was tall and his massive frame managed to fill out the doorway with ease. He was dressed for work to – a corporate business suit ironed to a crease-free perfection.

"Abby, I'm heading off to work now," her father said softly. "Maybe you could actually get out of bed this time and I don't know… enjoy the day. The sun is out, the skies are clear. It's a wonderful day."

Abigail sat up, her hair a mess and her general appearance looking slightly dishevelled. She shot an angry glare at her father, as if to challenge his opinions. "Wonderful day, dad…really? When has this day ever been wonderful? It has sucked now for nearly ten years."

Her father's expression altered, changing to a more sorrowful look. Maybe his smile had been forced for the benefit of his daughter. "I know, sweetheart. I miss your brother to. But, it has been almost ten years now."

"And so what, are you trying to say I should give up hope?" Abigail challenged.

"No, I'm not. You should never give up hope, but… I think you should accept the possibility that he may never come back."

Abigail looked hurt by her father's words, but she knew deep down that there was an air of truth about them. Isaac had not been seen or heard from for almost ten years. The police had investigated his disappearance for three years before finally giving up on the search. His case remained open, but on the shelf, and secretly everyone had pretty much accepted the fact that he was most likely dead.

"You should at least go outside," Abby's father insisted. "I don't think your brother would want you to be sad and alone on today of all days."

"Ok then, fine." Abigail gave in. "I guess I could go to the park, maybe."

"Great, I'm glad." Her father seemed genuinely happy now. "Happy birthday, sweetie," he said as he backed out of the room.

After he closed the door, Abigail slid off the end of her bed and dragged herself over to her wall cupboard. She slept in a white robe that swept around her feet as she walked, giving off a ghostly illusion that she was floating across the varnished wood flooring.

She pulled open the cupboard doors and stepped inside. There were a few tops, skirts and a couple of party dresses hung on several hangars. The cupboard was actually a sizeable wardrobe built into the wall. Abigail pushed the assortment of clothing aside and dropped to her knees. Lining the back of the cupboard was a large collection of what looked like boxes, gift wrapped with rainbow coloured paper. Cards were attached to each gift – plain, white and identical.

Each card read the same: "_To Isaac – Happy Birthday – Love Abby_".

Abigail stroked a finger across one of the cards, running it along Isaac's now. "Happy birthday, Isaac. I hope you're safe."

*** * ***

Isaac moved swiftly through the forest with Kotemon keeping pace as he leapt from tree to tree. Apparently, the meeting had come about upon the return of the chief figure of the village. Kotemon had been stashing away food supplies – as expected – when he overheard talk about capturing Isaac and himself and delivering them to some higher authority who the village leader refused to name. Fortunately, the meeting had attracted all of the Ninjamon in the village – even the ones that were tasked with guarding the main entrance. This small act of stupidity had allowed Kotemon and Isaac to sneak away unnoticed.

Isaac knew their head start wouldn't be a long one. Once the village digimon checked out Isaac's hut, they would notice his absence and give pursuit. It actually didn't even pay to run, the Ninjamon were swift movers, especially through the forest canopy. Isaac imagined that their as of yet, faceless leader would be just as quick. In all of his visits, Isaac had never met him though, so he could only guess. The only positive Isaac could take from fleeing was that surely they wouldn't send the entire village after the escapees. Hopefully, that would play to Isaac and Kotemon's advantage.

He couldn't be certain how much distance he had put between himself and the village, but it wasn't far enough. Through his panted breath, Isaac noticed that the forest had fallen eerily silent. His pace lessened, slowing to an abrupt stop. Kotemon hopped down beside him, joining Isaac as he scanned the surrounding treetops. An ominous wind whistled by, caressing the leaves with a gentle touch and creating a faint rustling chorus.

"They're here," Isaac whispered to his digimon companion. "They're watching us."

"I know," Kotemon said.

"Can you see any of them?"

"No, but I can sense them," Kotemon replied, his eyes shifting rapidly as he tried to locate a visual presence. "There are at least five."

Kotemon shifted closer to Isaac, not out of fear, but out of a need to protect him. He pricked his ears and listened to the sounds of the forest. The wind faded like a hushed wave, and Kotemon could then single out the movements of the Ninjamon as they attempted to silently slip through the trees. Isaac was tense, gripping his staff as tightly as he could; any increase in his strength would've probably allowed him to snap the staff into splinters with his bare hands.

He was ready to defend himself.

Then suddenly, a shining glimmer of steel flashed towards his eyes from the distance. It cut through the treetops with speed, shredding any leaves or branches that fell in its path like a sword through paper. It was moving too quickly for Isaac to attempt to avoid it; he had been trained to fight by a great samurai, but he was still only human. Kotemon sprang to his defence though, leaping from a standing position in front of Isaac's face. His hand wrapped around his kendo stick he carried on his back, whipping it out with force and striking it against the oncoming projectile – a sharp and deadly shuriken.

The impact was fierce, but Kotemon's combined strength, will and determination afforded him the advantage. He deflected the steel blade and catapulted it back into the trees. For a brief moment, Kotemon appeared to hover in mid-air before he dropped back down into a soft and graceful landing.

Perhaps the shuriken was merely a warning strike, Isaac couldn't be sure. However, what it did do was serve as way of announcing the assailant's arrival. On cue, four darkened figures descended from the treetops, falling into the shadows that stretched across the forest floor. They were all of identical shape, emerging from the cover of the shade to reveal themselves – four Ninjamon.

It was unnecessary though, even without the benefit of light striking their shape, they were unmistakable. Isaac eyed them, one after another. He recognised them all as the four that had blocked his path when he entered the village. The leader was present and at the forefront of the line, his undeniable smug grin plastered across his face.

"Leaving so soon?" Ninjamon said, slyly.

"We told you, we wanted no trouble," Isaac said, hoping to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the current situation. "Why do you pursue us?"

"As it happens, you are somewhat of a desired commodity by certain powerful individuals," Ninjamon explained. "There is a substantial bounty on your head."

"And you're here to kill me and collect, I assume." Isaac spoke with a firm tone now, showing as best he could that he would not be intimidated.

"On the contrary," Ninjamon started, a more inauspicious smile taking residence across his face, "the bounty says to deliver you… _alive!_"

*** * ***

A splash hit Abigail's ears, accompanied by the mixed laughter of several young kids. She glanced to her left and spotted the small group of kids (ranging from 8 to 11 years of age) playing by a large surface of water – too large to be considered a pond, but not big enough to be seen as a lake. She had taken her father's earlier advice and gone for a walk through the nearby Shinjuku Park. Over the past year the park had flourished, ever since the attacks. The trees had found new life, sprouting green and growing taller than before. The grassy surfaces were lush again and the footpaths had been re-laid. You couldn't even tell that such a destructive battle had ever ravaged it so badly.

Abigail could still recall the attacks now, as if they had only happened just yesterday. Strange creatures had plagued the park; some had looked like vicious monsters straight from a horror movie; others had resembled humanoid type warriors and some even looked, well, mechanical like robots. They had battled fiercely, clearly intent on destroying each other. It had been all over the news, and what made it even stranger was that the news reports also placed several children from Abigail's neighbourhood on the scene. Whether they had been drawn by the commotion, or were a part of it all, Abigail wasn't sure.

_What had they called them?_ Abigail began to ask herself as her mind got caught up in the memory. _Something like… digimon._ It all seemed very farfetched; had she not witnessed it with her own eyes, Abigail would have never believed it. That and it apparently wasn't the first time it had happened in Shinjuku. There were stories dating back around thirty years or so, telling of a group of kids back then that fought these mysterious monsters. Abigail had even heard a rumour that her Art teacher, Mr. Matsuki had been one of the children, and that there was a peculiar red dinosaur looking creature that lived with him and his wife, Rika.

Abigail walked slowly towards the water, her arrival somehow forcing the young kids to seek out an alternative place to enjoy themselves. The park was quiet, only the sounds of the busy traffic circling broke the hush; blaring car horns and the roar of an army of engines. As for people, the park was relatively empty. It was about thirty minutes before lunch hour for the flanking office block corporates, so Abigail had a brief period where she could be alone.

"Isaac," she sighed as she stared at her own sad reflection in the calm water, "I miss you so much."

She knelt down and stroked her fingers through the water, creating small, passing ripples. Even as her reflection fractured before her eyes, she could still identify the grief present in her split eyes. As the water steadied though, a different sight attracted her attention. She looked left of her reflection and saw what could only be described as a small, overly happy, smiling black bear. It had walked clear into view, its friendly grin beaming from the watery surface. It had blue straps clinging to its arms; wrists and paws and what looked like a blue belt around its portly belly. Then, resting atop its fluffy head was a blue baseball cap that it wore backwards, and the word "_BEARS_" was written across it.

"Hiya!" It waved a paw and greeted Abigail loudly as she turned.

Abigail fell backwards, unsure whether to slap herself to see if she was awake, run screaming, or return the hello to the _talking _bear. "Ummm… hi," she said with a half stutter.

"I'm Kumamon," the bear introduced, skipping towards Abigail who was still visibly freaked out.

"You're a talking bear," Abigail pointed out.

"Yep, I'm a digital monster," Kumamon said, still smiling. "Or you know, just digimon for short."

_Digimon?_ This was definitely turning into a strange day, but it was further prove that these monsters certain people called 'digimon' were true. Abigail then wondered if the rumours about Mr. Matsuki were true also.

"Ok, I'll play along," Abigail said as she got to her feet. "If you're a digimon, then what are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for you, of course."

"Why?"

Kumamon skipped to Abigail's side and hugged her leg in a warm, friendly manner. "Because you and I are partners," he said, gazing up into her eyes.

"Partners?" Abigail was confused, but she couldn't help but feel a little more relaxed as Kumamon flashed her another smile.

"Absolutely," Kumamon said with a high pitched squeal. "It's destiny, it is. There's trouble coming; a storm is on the horizon. You and I are gonna help save the world."

"We are?" Abigail said, intrigued.

"Oh yeah, but first we have to find the others."

"What others?"

"The other digimon, of course. They have been here for a long, long time." Kumamon's tone of voice suddenly turned sad, with a hint of guilt. "I was supposed to find you a long time ago to, but I got lost."

Abigail felt a little sad for the bear, his eyes seemed to be welling up so she placed a comforting hand on top of his head to try and make him feel better. "It's ok, you've found me now."

"I sure did, now come on!" Kumamon yelled, cheerily as he ran off across the grass. "We must find the others… and then we can find your brother!"

Abigail wasn't sure if she heard him right, had he said he knew how to find her brother? Already, Kumamon was distancing himself from her as he ran happily across the park, so with no time to waste allowing him to get out of sight, Abigail took off after him.

*** * ***

_**Yaaggghhh!**_

The lead Ninjamon charged, almost skating across the ground like it was made of ice. His hand hovered above his head, wrapped around the hilt of his sword. His expression never altered and his speed never faltered, but secretly the Ninjamon was hiding his concern. He had not expected Kotemon to back down, but Isaac – a human – was also standing his ground.

Ninjamon drew his sword as he shuffled to the left before pivoting on the ball of his foot and leaping towards Isaac with the intent to immobilise him. Isaac shifted his feet, establishing a firm defensive battle stance. He readied his staff and when the time struck, he swung it forwards. As it passed through the air it emitted a white glow and a pulsating energy appeared to surround it. The collision was a forceful one; steel on wood. The expected outcome would have been to see the blade slice clean through the stick, surely wood could be no match for a ninja's choice of weapon.

Instead, Isaac's staff hit the sword like a plate of steel. It pushed it back into Ninjamon's chest and struck him with venom. Before he knew what hit him, the ball shaped digimon was flying back through the air with his arms flailing about in an attempt to balance himself out. He hit the ground rolling awkwardly, feeling the full force of the concussive blow he had been dealt.

"Your staff, Isaac," Kotemon said, excitedly. "It's working again."

This notion seemed to ease Isaac's concerns, and his general swagger began to radiate an air of confidence. "You ready to do this, buddy?" he said as he turned to Kotemon.

"You bet, but I think we might need a little extra firepower."

Isaac knew what Kotemon was suggesting. "Do it," he said, nodding.

The small digimon stepped forward and felt a surge of adrenaline course through his body. It fuelled him with a newfound energy, which emitted from his body in a bright, engulfing white light.

"_Kotemon, digivolve to……"_

The small digimon grew, sprouting upward into a tall and formidable looking warrior – a blend between dragon and human. His arms flexed with impressive muscle, as they held up the weight of a set of thick, brown guards that enveloped his forearms. He wore a pair of light, purple bottoms that were frayed at the ends and a yellow cloth that hung from the front of his waist, sporting a tribal like design. His appearance resembled that of a martial artist, and it was completed to perfection by the set of small blades strapped to his back – surrounding a much larger and more devastating sword that measured in length equal to the digimon's frame.

"……_DINOHUMON!"_

The four Ninjamon took a step back at the appearance of an opponent that towered above their minute frames. Dinohumon exuded confidence as he stepped forward, his hand teetering at the edge of his sword, Akinakes' hilt.

"Get him!" the head Ninjamon yelled, running forward so as to lead by example.

"**NINJA KNIFE THROWING!"**

Ninjamon leapt into the air and seemed to pull a set of four shurikens from nowhere. His hand moved in a blur as he released them one at a time, throwing them in Dinohumon's direction. Dinohumon showed no concern as he actually picked up his pace, gunning straight for Ninjamon. As the shurikens closed in, he switched to his smaller blades and took the oncoming blades apart with a serious of delicately accurate strikes.

"**AKINAKES!"**

Without even breaking stride, Dinohumon glided across the ground before leaping high into the air. His arms moved gracefully as they shifted his small blades back into the right spots and then removed his larger, more imposing sword. The long, razor sharp Akinakes blade glowed yellow, almost as if it was channelling an intense heat through it. Dinohumon soared down on Ninjamon who glanced around him frantically, maybe hoping that his allies would come to his rescue. They weren't quick enough, or brave enough. Like an eagle swooping down to clutch its prey, Dinohumon closed the gap between himself and his opponent and spun majestically, slicing horizontally through the centre of Ninjamon's body.

Ninjamon's sinister glee faded and his colourless face expressed the sickening pain that Dinohumon's attack had left him with. His sword fell from his hand and clattered to the ground before exploding into tiny fragments of data. Ninjamon followed suit, fracturing into tiny pieces that drifted towards Dinohumon as he swallowed them into his blade.

"Ummm, so… what do we do now?" one of the remaining Ninjamon asked, looking slightly lost.

The other two exchanged glances, then eyed Isaac, before returning a look at their friend whom had posed the question. "Get the boy!"

"I don't think so," Dinohumon argued.

The Ninjamon trio shot off in separate directions, hoping that their speed would be enough to accomplish their goal. Dinohumon was ready though, and he successfully anticipated the movements of the Ninjamon closest to him. The dragon warrior spun on his heel to cut his foe off, falling into his path and knocking him back with an arced kick. He continued into a backward somersault that took him over the head of his second opponent and blocked the attacking Ninjamon as he lunged for Isaac. Dinohumon forced the weaker digimon back and then moved in for a finishing blow.

"**LIZARDS DANCE!"**

He gripped two of his small blades as he skated towards his opponent, swinging them violently as he collided with the defending digimon. Ninjamon could only manage to deflect a couple of attacks, but the constant barrage was too much, and it quickly overwhelmed him. Within seconds, he had been carved into a thousand pieces of data, more fuel to Dinohumon's growing rage.

The third Ninjamon had closed on Isaac who was doing his best to defend himself with his staff. He couldn't parry the offensive digimon's strikes long enough to launch one of his own, so all that was left to do was to defend himself long enough for Dinohumon to assist him.

"**AKINAKES!"**

Dinohumon was quick to spin on his heel. He swept across the ground, switching once again to his larger blade. The familiar sight of its foreboding glow was glimpsed through the corner of the unsuspecting Ninjamon's eye. Before he could react, it was too late. The blade cut through him cleanly and left a yellow hoop around his body, marking the precision of the blow. The last Ninjamon closed in, anger overpowering his judgement. He was determined to exact his revenge, but his flailing attacks missed and he fell victim to a second strike from Akinakes. It was a blow that proved to be as fatal as the one that had preceded it.

The battle was over, but as Isaac breathed a sigh of relief he could tell that something still concerned his friend. Dinohumon was shifting his gaze from treetop to treetop, searching for something or someone. He seemed tense, handling his sword with a strong grip – it almost seemed like the four Ninjamon that he had so easily dispatched were just a warm-up act for a greater foe.

"Very impressive," an eerily deep voice echoed from the trees, carrying with it a hint of doom. "I see I'm going to have to eliminate you myself."

A shadow dropped from a nearby branch, landing silently on the forest floor. Isaac was sure that the black figure hadn't been there before, he just looked to appear out of nowhere. His shape gave him away, and as the snaking rays of sunlight bathed him in visibility, Isaac's first suspicions were confirmed.


End file.
